The 07/08 state budget deficit

One year ago the state Senate passed a budget by a vote of 33-1.

One of the best online newspapers, CT News Junkie*, reported on the budget on June 25, 2007:

After patting themselves on the back and talking about what they did and didn’t include in the budget, the Senate passed the two-year $36 billion spending plan with a 33 to 1 vote on Monday...

Sen. Sam Caligiuri, R-Waterbury, voted against the budget because while it “was the best budget under the current political realities,” it did not postpone the increase in the gross receipts tax on gasoline, which is scheduled to rise from 6.3 percent per gallon to 7 percent per gallon on July 1. He said it also includes large spending increases that will inevitably force the state to chose between large tax increases or large spending cuts in the not so distant future.

“We are going to pay the piper sooner rather than later,” Caligiuri said. He said his vote against the budget was the strongest way he could make that statement.

As this fiscal mess year comes to a close, I thought the foresight demonstrated by our Senator ought to be noted.

Tim White

* Bah, humbug to the Courant and their news staff cuts! Tell your friends that news is available for free online.